‘The only words are to do with adoption. But that’s not what happened to us. What happened to us was something quite different.’

Being a young mum is supposed to be hard – but for Hanna, the only thing she’s ever been brilliant at is raising her beloved daughter, Ellie. Until a DNA test reveals staggering news. Ellie is not Hanna’s child. And now her ‘real’ parents want to meet.

How can an accidental mix-up in an overstretched maternity ward be explained to a three-year-old? Is Hanna supposed to let these strangers into her daughter’s life? Forced to question what being a parent really means, Hanna makes a drastic decision that will change all their lives.

This funny, heartfelt and compelling one-woman play Hanna asks what family means in a modern society, delicately weaving in questions of racial identity, economic privilege, and the lottery of birth. It was premiered by Papatango at the Arcola Theatre, London, in 2018.

'Gripping… a memorable and moving look at nature and nurture and what family really means' — The Times

'Gripping... raise[s] a whole series of questions about class, race and nature versus nurture... I found myself hanging on every word' — Guardian

'Sam Potter constantly keeps the audience on their toes. Her unpredictable text encourages curiosity. The tightly woven script explores themes of race, class and identity, and each notion gets unpicked with a high level of delicacy… bleak and humorous in equal measure' — Broadway World

'A well-constructed, absorbing monologue... there’s a lovely naturalness to the writing, which allows Hanna to develop its themes – on the impact of parenting, race, and class – with a light touch' — Time Out

'Compelling and rich' — Exeunt Magazine